History
The pre-colonial era
In the northern part of the country, Kano and Katsina have a recorded history which dates back to around 999 CE.
In southeastern Nigeria the Kingdom of Nri of the Igbo people flourished from 10th century until 1911 and the city of Nri is considered to be the foundation of Igbo culture.
The kingdoms of Ifẹ and Oyo in the western block of Nigeria became prominent about 700–900 and 1400 respectively. The Yoruba mythology believes that Ile-Ife is the source of the human race and that it predates any other civilization. Another prominent kingdom in south western Nigeria was the Kingdom of Benin whose power lasted between the 15th and 19th century. Their dominance reached as far as the well known city of Eko, later named Lagos by the Portuguese.
In addition, Tiv culture in the North central region of Nigeria dates to 6 B.C.. Some of the famous bronze terracotta sculpture heads from this culture have been shown around the world.
Colonial era
Portuguese explorers were the first Europeans to begin trade in Nigeria, and called the main port Lagos after the Portuguese town of Lagos, in Algarve. This name stuck on with more European trade with the region. The Europeans traded with the ethnicities of the coast and also established a trade in slaves which affected many Nigerian ethnicities. Following the Napoleonic Wars, the British expanded trade with the Nigerian interior.
In 1885 British claims to a West African sphere of influence received international recognition and in the following year the Royal Niger Company was chartered. In 1900 the company’s territory came under the control of the British government, which moved to consolidate its hold over the area of modern Nigeria. On January 1, 1901 Nigeria became a British protectorate (northern and southern protectorates) and part of the British Empire. In 1914 the northern protecorate and the southern protectorate under the colonial rule were merged forming one single entity named “Nigeria” (meaning: Niger[river niger] area. The name “nigeria” was given by the wife of the British Governor-General in charge of the country – Sir Lord Lugard.
Following World War II, in response to the growth of Nigerian nationalism and demands for independence, successive constitutions legislated by the British Government moved Nigeria toward self-government on a representative and increasingly federal basis. By the middle of the 20th century, the great wave for independence was sweeping across Africa.
Post-independence
On 1 October 1960, Nigeria gained its independence from the United Kingdom. Nigeria, like many African countries, was formed to benefit its colonial power – the United Kingdom. Colonies served two role. They are first and foremost, a source of raw materials for the factories in Europe. Their second function is to serve as markets for the finished products from the European factories.
The colonies were formed to operate chaotically. Hitherto distinct and autonomous ethnicities, who had often been at war with each other were merged into same colonies. The British doctrine of Divide-and-Rule ensured that these rivalries continued throughout the colonial occupation.
Nigeria became independent in 1960 with a sharply divided people. The Eastern Region was largely Christian and populated by the Igbo people. The North was predominantly Muslim and populated by the Hausa and a host of smaller tribes. The Western Region was home to the Yoruba, who were largely Christians with a mix of Islam, and animism.
The Parliamentary model of government was introduced and the Northern party – the Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) formed government at independence on October 1st 1960. There was never a truly developed sense of singular Nigerian identity prior to independence.
The country’s first Prime Minster, Alhaji, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, was from the North. His party was led by Sir, Ahmadu Bello, the Sardauna of Sokoto. Ahmadu Bello delegated his deputy to become the Prime Minister while he stayed at Kaduna as the Premier of Northern Nigeria.
The first coup was executed on 15th January 1966, when some Nigerian soldiers led by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu assassinated the Prime Minister, Alhaji, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and 12 other senior politicians and soldiers.
The cities of Kaduna, Ibadan, and Lagos were attacked and the Niger and Benue Rivers were blockaded. The coup was suppressed within two days.
A senior Army officer, General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi then used the coup as a pretext to annex power, ending Nigeria’s nascent democracy. It was one of the events that led to the Nigerian Civil War.
By July 28th of the same year, a second military coup led by Northern officers was executed. This coup is seen as a reprisal to the earlier one in January. The Head of State, General Ironsi, and a host of senior military leaders from the Southeast were killed. While the January coup is seen largely as an Igbo coup against the Hausa leaders, the July coup was a reprisal by Northern (largely Hausa) soldiers against Igbo rulers.
The July mutiny/counter coup resulted in the murder of Nigeria’s 1st military Head of State General Aguiyi Ironsi and Lt Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi (who was hosting a visiting Ironsi) in Ibadan by angry northern Non Commissioned Officers (NCOs). Upon the termination of Ironsi’s government, Lt Colonel Yakubu Gowon was appointed Head of State by the July 1966 coup conspirators.
The Governor of the Eastern Region, Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu insisted the most senior military officer at the time, Brigadier B.A.O. Ogundipe be appointed as Head of State. He also protested against the killing of his people in the north. By May 1967, the Eastern Region had declared itself an independent state called the Republic of Biafra due to much killing of it’s people in the Northern Region and the 30 month Nigerian Civil War began. More than one million people died, many of them starving to death in eastern Nigeria.
During the oil boom of the 1970s, Nigeria joined OPEC and billions of dollars generated by production in the oil-rich Niger Delta flowed into the coffers of the Nigerian state. However, increasing corruption and graft at all levels of government squandered most of these earnings. Nigeria re-achieved democracy in 1999 and although the elections which brought Obasanjo to power in 1999 and again in 2003 were condemned as unfree and unfair, Nigeria has shown marked improvements in attempts to tackle government corruption and to hasten development. Ethnic violence over the oil producing Niger Delta region and inadequate infrastructures are some of the current issues in the country.
